


Triple Point

by inatshej



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Angst, Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys Kissing, Childhood Friends, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski are Childhood Friends, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski are Soulmates, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending, Forehead Touching, Friends to Lovers, Gentle Kissing, Happy Ending, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Math and Science Metaphors, Mild Blood, No Sex, POV Derek, POV Derek Hale, Romantic Soulmates, Short & Sweet, Some Humor, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Teenagers, Touching, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 18:16:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12965493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inatshej/pseuds/inatshej
Summary: 1. Apparently, what soulmarks tell you is shit.2. It's ridiculous.3. Derek won't think about it.4. ...He can't stop thinking about it.5. But Stiles is supposed to be his friend.+1 It changes with the triple point.





	Triple Point

**Author's Note:**

> Based on kevaaronday's likes: Fluff, coffee shop AU's, high school AU's, soulmate AU's, and her Tumblr's post: So, for fav parings other than Sterek, hmm Scott/Lydia, Isaac/Cora, Erica/Boyd. For fav AU’s ohhhhh, high school AU’s, coffee shop AU’s, soulmate AU’s, uhhh oooh childhood friends AU’s! I don’t have any special requests or anything, just anything along these limes would be great, thanks babe!!  
> I actually don't mention any other pairings than sterek, as for fluff... I tried... still, it's high school + soulmates + childhood friends AU. Hope you'll like it!  
> So much thank you to Becca for beta work and 'urky' – I instantly fell in love with this word.

1\. Apparently, what soulmarks tell you is shit.

Derek is standing in the granola aisle in a fucking Walmart when it happens. He touches his collarbone mindlessly, trying to find a healthy yet chocolate-y granola, but the itching won't stop. Frowning, he scratches the skin, mildly annoyed, but the area flares with pain. He snaps his head to the side just to see a mark appearing on his skin, reading _Mieczysław Stiles Stilinski_.

At first, he is just confused, not understanding where it came from. It actually looks like a soulmark-

oh _fuck_. His heart stops for a second and he forgets how to breathe, because Stiles, his childhood friend, is apparently _his soulmate_.

Derek takes a shuddering breath, staring at the mark. He's always thought he'd be excited to see the name of his soulmate – not crushed – but he's also always thought it would be someone smart, funny, and a girl, _obviously_.

Derek is jerked out of his thoughts at the sound of an incoming text.

Stiles: _hey you ok? we still on for Star Trek marathon?_

Derek stares at the message for a beat, wondering if Stiles could somehow tell that he was freaking out. Soulmates sometimes have this feeling, this intuition, and Stiles is his soulmate, so-

oh god, Stiles. This texting, Star Trek-watching, childhood friend _Stiles_ is his _soulmate_.

He takes the wrong granola.

 

2\. It's ridiculous.

Derek thinks he acts more or less normally. Inside, he is still freaking out, but his face remains impassive, even as his shoulders are completely tense. Really, he's doing great, considering everything.

''Why did you buy dried fruits? You know I like the chocolate kind better,'' says Stiles, frowning at the box.

''Why did you even want granola?''

''I like how it pretends to be healthy. It's funny,'' explains Stiles, his hand inside the box already. _What a savage_ , Derek can't help thinking with distaste, _he's gonna eat it right from the box_.

Stiles never manages to take out the oats, suddenly still, gaping at Derek's collarbone.

Derek freezes, somehow certain that Stiles can see the mark even though it's covered by his shirt.

''Dude, you're bleeding,'' says Stiles, his eyes huge.

''What?'' Derek frowns, his hand coming up to touch his collarbone. He stills feeling something wet – and sure enough, it is his blood.

''Jesus, wait a second, I'll just get – this thing-'' Stiles stammers, searching for the tissues. ''Here,'' he says, taking one and reaching to Derek's shirt.

''I'll do it,'' snaps Derek, taking it roughly from him.

Stiles startles at his tone but doesn't say anything.

Derek stands up, pressing the material to the mark, hoping for it to remain unseen. There is a bit more blood underneath and he reaches to dry it off, and _fuck_ , he can hear Stiles' sharp intake of breath.

He doesn't dare say anything, doesn't even look at him, just presses the tissue to the mark.

''Derek,'' starts Stiles in a deceptively calm voice, ''am I your _soulmate_?'' The last word is said incredulously, Stiles' voice pitching high.

Derek's jaw tenses. He snaps his eyes to Stiles but the boy doesn't look back, his gaze still on the mark.

''It's nothing,'' Derek grits out. ''Just – forget it.''

Stiles lets out a disbelieving laugh. '' _What?_ ''

Derek shakes his head, avoiding his eyes. ''You're not my soulmate. It's just,'' he grips the tissue harder and winces at the pain, ''it's a mistake.''

Stiles doesn't answer and, after a long moment, Derek manages to raise his head to look at him. He seems pale, his face oddly blank as he watches Derek. ''Mistake,'' he repeats.

''Yes,'' says Derek curtly. ''I mean, Jesus. Stiles, you're my friend. You can't be-'' he can't contain a grimace, glancing down at his collarbone. ''I don't care what it says. You're my _friend_.''

''Wow,'' says Stiles under his breath. Derek looks up at him.

Stiles covers his face with his hand but finally nods, his eyes downcast. ''Okay, but I'm still checking what the fuck it means when your soulmark bleeds, 'cause that's fucking freaky, _fuck._ ''

Derek eyes him and suddenly huffs out a laugh, the whole mess catching up with him. ''Fuck,'' he agrees.

Stiles' face does something strange, expressions flying through, and he turns away to open his laptop.

 

3\. Derek won't think about it.

''Wait,'' says Derek and reaches with his hand to keep Stiles' face in place. ''Just wait a second.''

''Take it out, crap, this is so urky, I hate it,'' moans Stiles, his leg knocking some weird pattern on the floor.

''Urky?'' asks Derek with a hint of smile and takes out an eyelash that had made its way into Stiles' eye.

''Oh, yes, that's better.'' He sighs, blinking rapidly, then closes his eyes. He tears up a bit and Derek gently dries out Stiles' face with his thumb, watching him.

He is a guy. Stiles isn't feminine at any point, there is nothing androgynous about him, he is very much a _guy_. Still, his lips seem soft and pink, his skin looks pale and creamy. He has a pattern of moles on the left side of his face and Derek shifts a little to have a better view of it, his hand on Stiles' chin, the other still touching his cheek.

The moles go down, reaching his neck. Derek has a weird urge to trace them with his fingers.

He leans back, not looking at Stiles. ''So,'' he clears his throat, ''we were doing homework. What is the triple point again?'' he asks, pointing at the open notebook between them.

Stiles regards him for a second, his face clear of any specific emotion, just – watching him. Derek shifts his weight, uncomfortable, and Stiles finally looks back down at the notes.

''It's when a pressure and the temperature is such that the substance is gas, liquid and solid at the same time. Like, you have water, and at 32 degrees Fahrenheit it coexists as part water, part ice, and part water vapor. If you change the circumstances even a little you can turn the whole substance into one of those phases.''

Derek frowns. ''So it's like a turning point?''

Stiles rolls his eyes. ''If you need a literary metaphor to understand chemistry, yes.''

 

4\. ...He can't stop thinking about it.

''Does it still bleed?''

Derek shrugs, thinking of an answer. They both know that Stiles is actually asking whether Derek continues to reject him as his soulmate. He grimaces at the thought.

''Sometimes. A little,'' he replies. Stiles has this blank look on his face, like he's masking something.

Suddenly, Derek feels like an asshole, even though it doesn't make any sense. He doesn't _reject_ Stiles – he still wants him in his life – just – as a friend. It's not strange, they've been friends ever since playground battles between Batman (Stiles had an amazing action figure) and Captain America (Derek had an awesome shield).

He needs to change the topic.

''What did you get on the last chemistry test?''

Stiles smirks.

Derek narrows his eyes and jabs him in the side. ''I got B and I sill consider it a success,'' he says.

Stiles squirms, laughing and jabs him in the side as well, and soon enough they are full-on fighting, rolling on the floor. Derek comes out victorious, keeping both of Stiles' wrists in his hand, and grins down at him.

Like this, he can really look at Stiles.

It's weird how he has no idea how gay people even work, yet still can imagine himself holding Stiles close, touching him. His full arms, slim waist, his chest – even when his body is so different than a girl's – Stiles still looks good.

He realizes he's been staring at Stiles and stands up awkwardly. Stiles' lips are parted as he watches him with big eyes, uncertain.

''Homework or 'The Witcher'?'' asks Derek, deliberately ignoring whatever's just happened.

After a moment, Derek turns to him and sees as Stiles huffs and gives him a flat look.

''True,'' he agrees and opens the game.

 

5\. Stiles is supposed to be his friend, though.

''Hey,'' Stiles sounds oddly hesitant, ''can you come over?''

''Sure,'' replies Derek, reaching for his shoes already. He's been feeling restless for a while and he's grateful for finally having something to do. ''I'll be there in 20.''

''No – wait, Derek, are you still there?''

Derek frowns slightly and raises his phone back to his ear. ''Yes, what's wrong?''

''I-'' Stiles pauses and Derek can almost see him biting his lip and knocking some odd rhythm with his fingers. ''I got my soulmate mark.''

''Oh,'' Derek manages after a while.

''Yeah, just, do you know some ointment or something to make it stop bleeding?''

''Bleeding?''

''Yeah,'' sighs Stiles. ''It won't fucking stop,'' he says, sounding weary. ''I checked on the Internet but everywhere I looked they repeat it's gonna stop on its own. But, you know, the presence of your soulmate helps.''

Derek finally finds his voice after a beat. ''I'll be there.''

Stiles seems okay, if tired, once they are alone in his bedroom.

''There is not much blood, don't worry. It's just annoying,'' he grimaces.

''Let me see,'' says Derek, sitting next to him and reaching towards Stiles' hip. The whole area is reddened and Derek's eyebrows draw together, regarding it. He touches the mark, dazedly reading his name, _Derek Sebastian Hale_ , on Stiles' body.

Suddenly, Stiles groans and his head falls back, relaxing. Derek snaps his eyes to him, startled.

''What's the matter?''

''You've got magic hands,'' mumbles Stiles. ''C'mon, do the pain sucking thingy.''

Derek frowns at him, shakes his head in confusion.

''Just touch the thing,'' says Stiles, keeping Derek's hand on his hip. He sighs again. ''Oh god, this feels so much better.''

''I don't think it's bleeding anymore,'' observes Derek.

''Fucking magic.''

They sit in a silence for a while and Derek slowly looks up to Stiles, who's turned away, staring at the wall.

Derek licks his lips. ''You know I'm not, like, rejecting you, right?''

Slowly, Stiles meets his gaze, his eyebrows raising.

''I'm not. We can be – platonic soulmates,'' he says. ''That's like a definition of friends, right,'' he continues, keeping Stiles' gaze.

''Right,'' repeats Stiles. ''Yeah,'' he nods, his face perfectly blank.

Derek has no idea what he's thinking. He mindlessly reaches with his other hand to brush some hair from Stiles' forehead and is met with his assessing look. He takes his hand back, suddenly aware of the loss of the warmth.

''We should clean up,'' he says.

''Yeah,'' agrees Stiles and smiles weakly. ''It's like a murder scene.''

Derek nods. ''From Agatha Christie.''

''Or 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre','' says Stiles.

Derek turns to look at him with wide eyes, taken aback. ''Jesus.''

Stiles shakes his head dismissively. ''It's not that scary.''

Derek doesn't answer and Stiles narrows his gaze. ''You watched that,'' he states suddenly.

''Shut up,'' says Derek instantly.

''Oh my god, you've really watched that and it _scared_ you,'' continues Stiles, looking at him with a wide grin.

''One, I did not. Two,'' Derek pauses and makes a face, ''it's supposed to be one of the best horror films. Clearly, there's something wrong with this world.''

Stiles starts laughing, his head falling back, and Derek punches him in the shoulder, scowling. Stiles doesn't even try to fight him off, too busy gasping for breath.

 

+1. It changes with the triple point.

Derek has an idea what Stiles is thinking, of course. He just doesn't know if he really wants to understand Stiles – because he is smart, funny, the best person to imagine as his soulmate-

But he is a _guy_.

So Derek tries to imagine Stiles as a girl and that's just weird. It's just–

he freezes on his way to school, realization dawning on him.

It's just Stiles. If he forgets about gender – gay – bisexual – _it's just Stiles_ , with his Star Trek and chemistry knowledge, his pale skin and moles.

 _This is the turning point_ , he thinks, _or the triple point_.

He can stay as only friends with Stiles, no matter how painful and – okay, downright impossible it seems. Derek can't tear his eyes away from Stiles most of the time now. He doesn't think he could ever get used to him if 16 years wasn't enough.

But he can stay friends with Stiles and wait as they slowly grow apart and, and he rejects the idea immediately.

Now, Stiles notices him and waves, brightening. Derek's lips curl up in response, feeling a small rash of pleasure that Stiles is happy just to see him.

Derek could also walk up to him, stand close, interlace their fingers, and see what will happen.

Stiles' eyes widen as he glances down at it, and then he looks up at Derek, his expression guarded.

''What's wrong?'' he asks, his eyebrows drawn a bit. ''Are you – _cold?_ Or-''

Derek smiles a bit and lets himself touch Stiles' moles, the ones on his left cheek. ''No,'' he answers softly.

Stiles blinks at him. Derek can see the way he starts blushing and it makes his smile widen, he keeps tracing with his fingers the moles, taking in Stiles' pale skin, now flushed, his brown eyes, his lips.

''Thanks for giving me time,'' he says. ''I needed it.''

Stiles swallows thickly, his eyes locked with Derek's – but in a moment, he looks away and steps back, retrieving his hand and putting both of them deep in his pockets. ''It was better than the alternative,'' he says.

Derek moves forward, lifts his chin so Stiles has to gaze at him again, leans closer. ''I couldn't imagine leaving you. In every scenario, you'd at least stay my friend.''

''You had scenarios?'' asks Stiles, his eyes widening with interest.

Derek shrugs, smiling and Stiles laughs.

He can't look away from him. He's never been this close to kissing someone and it's never meant this much. His heart is beating like crazy.

''Stiles,'' he starts once the silence settles between them, ''will you be my soulmate?''

Stiles smiles at him, his lips widening in a completely open expression. ''Yes,'' he replies, grinning, and – finally – they kiss.

It should feel at least a little weird – they are both guys, after all – but it doesn't. It's good, almost unbearably sweet, until Stiles slicks Derek's lower lip with just a bit of tongue and Derek is hit with a wave of heat. He can only take what Stiles gives him, lightheaded and overwhelmed with the sensation.

He is grateful when Stiles ends it soon after, even if he misses the kiss at the same time. He leans his forehead against Stiles' and slowly opens his eyes, having closed them earlier instinctively.

Stiles gives him a small smile, somewhat hesitant, and Derek returns the expression, helpless to do anything else. He can't believe this is what he's been denying himself for so long, seeing Stiles flushed, unreservedly _happy_ before him.

He'll make sure to buy chocolate granola next time.

 


End file.
